GEELONG’s wolf pack of pressure forwards is ready for the group’s first test pressure test under the heat of finals football.
The re-jigged forward group that has driven much of the Cats’ success this year with its rabid forward pressure, was built with an eye on the contested nature of September football.
Forward coach Corey Enright is ready to see what his group can produce when the moment arrives.
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“We brought a few new faces in and hopefully we brought them in for the right reasons and for the intensity of finals coming up,” Enright said.
“We know what to expect, it’s going to be another level up, so we just need those guys to continue to play their role and play for each other.”
Luke Dahlhaus has been a key cog in the well-oiled pressure machine and proved to be so again against the Blues.
The former Bulldog laid nine tackles to add to his ten last week and looks to be peaking at the right point of the year.
“His tackling pressure in the last few weeks has been really high, back to where it was at the start of the season,” Enright said.
“He knows his game really well and knows what he has to do. He brings intensity and energy and his ability to pressure the opposition.”
“If he's not tackling, he's chasing out which is causing enough pressure to hopefully turn the ball over up the field.”
“He is important for us in how we want to play so his ability to do those little things are important to him but its super important to us as a group.”
Dahlhaus was rewarded for his defensive efforts against the Blues, with three classic crumbing goals resulting in his best return in the hoops.
“I think he was pretty excited as you can see when he kicks a goal he gets up and about which is nice to see,” Enright said.
“He brings the energy and the enjoyment factor and it’s always nice as a forward to kick goals.”
“He makes quick decisions and gets to the right spot. His craft to get to the right spot at the fall of the ball is his game. He’s been working on that and he works on it really hard but it’s quite natural for him once he gets to the contest.”
Enright was also pleased to see the ‘orange flash’ Gary Rohan return to his handpicked group of pressure forwards against the Blues.
“He adds another dimension to our group,” Enright said.
“He’s obviously really powerful and explosive and it was good for him to get that run under the belt and see him launch at the footy. A few of those chase outs as well that he’s well known for.”
